The Chandos Portrait The Cobbe Portrait

Who was William Shakespeare?

William Shakespeare is probably the world’s most famous playwright

• He lived over 400 years ago … but visitors come to the UK from all over the world to see where he was born.

Does anyone recognise this town?

Shakespeare’s Birthplace

Shakespeare’s HomesI was born here My wife,

Anne Hathaway, lived here before

we married

This empty plot at New Place is all that’s left of my final home

in Stratford

Shakespeare’s Brothers and Sisters

Joan1558

Margaret1562

William1564

Gilbert1566

Joan1569

Anne1571

Richard1574

Edmund1580

Shakespeare’s Family

John Shakespeare Mary Arden Father (Glover) Mother

3 brothers and 4 sisters

Joan Margaret William Gilbert Joan Anne Richard EdmundBorn 1558 1562 1564 1566 1569 1571 1574 1580Died 1559 1563 1616 1612 1646 1579 1613 1607Aged <1yr <1yr 52yrs 46yrs 77yrs 8yrs 39yrs 27yrs

William and Anne’s Children

Susanna Hamnet Judith Born 1583 1585 1585 Died 1649 1596 1662 Aged 66yrs 11yrs 77yrs

Twins

Shakespeare at School

Shakespeare’s classroomat King Edward VI schoolStratford upon Avon. This classroom is stillin use today.

The School Day

The School Day• 6.00am Morning prayers

– Recited in Latin or English

• 6.30am Morning Lessons– Young boys learn their ABC– Older boys learn Latin grammar– Oldest boys translate Latin into English

and English into Latin

• 8.00am Light Breakfast– Bread, cheese, apple, weak beer

• 9.00am Morning Lessons continue• 11.00am Boys go home for dinner

– Pottage (thick stew/soup) made with barley or oats, herbs and sometimes meat or fish

• 1.00pm Afternoon Lessons– More Latin grammar and translation– Work on Roman numerals– Testing of Catechism (religion)– Rhetoric (speaking)– Greek

• 5.00pm Prayers and Bible reading

Tudor Theatre

The first theatre opened when William was a boy – no one knew then how important theatre would be to his future, as both an actor and playwright.

Marriage

William Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway in 1582. He was only 18 years old and she was 26.

Anne Hathaway’s Cottage

Anne Hathaway

Shakespeare in LondonShakespeare was known to have been working in London by 1592. He wrote a steady stream of plays and worked as a principal actor and manager with the Lord’s Chamberlain’s Men, an acting company. In 1599 he became a part owner of the Globe Theatre.

The Globe Theatre

For a penny you could stand to watch. For two pence you could sit on a wooden seat. For three pence you could hire a cushion. For sixpence you could sit in the Lord’s Gallery at the back of the stage.

A Wealthy Man

This garden is where New Place used to be.

By 1598, Shakespeare had become a very prosperous man.

In 1602 he bought a grand house in Stratford-upon-Avon called New Place for £340

Shakespeare died in 1616, aged 52

Good Friend, for Jesus’ sake forbearTo dig the dust enclosed here:Blessed be the man that spares these stones,And cursed be he that moves my bones.

Shakespeare is buried in Holy Trinity Church, Stratford-upon-Avon – thereis a curse on the grave.

WHY IS SHAKESPEARE SO IMPORTANT TODAY?

Shakespeare’s plays have been translated into many languages and are so popular that people estimate that every minute of every day, someone in the world is watching a play by Shakespeare!

We still use his words and sayings today.....

Shakespeare’s Phrasesgood riddancetower of strengthas dead as a door nailthe long and short of it

in a pickle the game is up as good luck would have it

fair play green-eyed jealousytoo much of a good thing

set teeth on edge for goodness’s sake!all that glitters is not gold

budge an inch melted into thin airto thine own self be true

Shakespeare’s Insultsswaggering rascal! mouldy rogue!

canker-blossom! cut-purse rascal! stock-fish! bottle-ale rascal!

oh, you beast! filthy bung!

basket-hilt stale juggler!

scurvy fellow! hare-brain'd slaves! a fusty nut with no kernel!

puppy-headed monster! vile standing-tuck!

Shakespeare’s Legacy

Shakespeare wrote at least 37 plays and many poems between 1590 and 1614.

The First Folio of Comedies, Histories and Tragedies was published in 1623, seven years after his death.

This presentation was produced by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust

Registered Charity Number 209302